psychopathology

• what are the 4 definitions of abnormality?

  statistical infrequency, deviations from social norms, failure to function adequately, deviation from ideal mental health
• what is the criteria for good mental health?

  resistance to stress, self-actualisation (state of contentment), high self esteem, autonomy, accurate perception of reality, adaptability
• what are the factors affecting the definitions of abnormality?

  culture, age, gender, location, historical change, social change, situation subjectivity, social control
• what are critical characteristics?

  behavioural, emotional, cognitive
• what is the behaviourist explanation of phobias?

  emphasizes the role of learning in the acquisition of behaviour. Mowrer proposed the two process model: that phobias are acquired and maintained
• what is systematic desensitization?

  gradual exposure to the phobic stimulus based around the anxiety hierarchy, 10-12 sessions, reciprocal inhibition
• what is flooding?

  associating the phobic stimulus with calm,one session, immediate exposure, client is rewarded by feeling calm, focuses on extinction
• what are emotional characteristics of ocd?

  anxiety and distress, accompanying depression, guilt and disgust
• what are cognitive characteristics of ocd?

  obsessive thoughts, cognitive coping strategies, excessive anxiety
• what is the cycle of ocd?

  obsessive thought, anxiety, compulsive behaviour, temporary relief
• what is a study that suggest that ocd is hereditary?

  Aubrey Lewis - of his ocd patients, 37% had parents with ocd, 21% had siblings with ocd
• what are 4 genetic explanations for OCD?

  hereditary, candidate genes, polygenic, aetiologically heterogeneous
• what does aetiologically heterogeneous mean?

  one group of genes may cause OCD is some people, but a different group of genes may cause it in others
• what is the role of serotonin in OCD?

  If people have low levels of serotonin they can experience feeling of anxiety and depression. This may lead to anxious mood and obsessive thoughts which are associated with OCD
• what is the role of dopamine in OCD?

  obsessive thoughts can cause compulsions, which when carried out cause dopamine to peak. These high levels after the compulsion might cause us to repeat the behaviour.
• what is statistical infrequency?       

  when an individual has a less common characteristic then most of the population
• what is deviation from social norms?

  when an individual's behaviour is different from the accepted standards of behaviour in a community or society
• what is deviation from ideal mental health?            

  when someone doesn't meet a set criteria for good mental health
• what is failure to function adequately?       

  when someone is unable to cope with ordinary demands of day to day living
• how are phobias acquired? 

  through classical conditioning which involves associating a neutral stimulus with something that triggers a fear response (unconditioned stimulus)

  usc-ucr

  ns-no response

  usc+ns-ucr

  cs-cr
• how are phobias maintained?          

  through operant conditioning, which takes place when our behaviour is rewarded or punished
• how are phobias treated?  

  systematic desensitization and flooding
• what is ocd?  

  obsessive compulsive disorder. a condition which is characterized by compulsive behaviour
• what is the diathesis stress model?              

  certain genes leave certain people more likely to develop mental disorders
• what are candidate genes?  

  researchers have discovered genes which create vulnerability for OCD
• what does polygenic mean?

  OCD is caused by a combination of genetic variations that together increase vulnerability
• what are neural explanations of OCD?        

  the genes associated with OCD are likely  to affect the levels of key neurotransmitter as wells as structures of the brain
• what are behavioural characteristics of Depression?

  disruption to sleep and eating behaviour, low activity levels, aggression and self harm
• what are cognitive characteristics of depression?

  poor concentration, dwelling on the negative, and absolutist thinking
• what are emotional characteristics of depression?

  lowered self-esteem, lowered mood, and anger
• what are two explanations of depression?

  Beck's negative triad, and Ellis's ABC model
• what is Beck's cognitive triad?

  a person's cognition creates vulnerability to depression due to 3 things:

  • faulty information processing - focusing on the negative
  • negative self scheme - interpret all info about themselves as negative
  • negative triad - thoughts about world, future, and ourselves
• what is Ellis's ABC model?

  depression is due to irrational thoughts

  Activating event

  Belief

  consequence
• evaluation of Beck's negative triad

  -supporting evidence of Cohen et al (2019) tracked the development in 473 adolescents, regularly measuring cognitive vulnerability. Showed that cognitive vulnerability predicted later depression

  -real world application in screening and treatment of depression, helping psychologists identify those most at risk at developing depression. Also useful in CBT

  -ethical issues of knowing "correct" thought

  -doesn't explain all aspects of therapy
• evaluation of Ellis's ABC model

  -real world application in the treatment of depression. REBT involves altering the irrational belief through vigorous questioning with a therapist, which helps relieve the symptoms of depression

  -only explains reactive not endogenous e.g. depression which can't be traced to a certain event

  -ethical issues as it can be seen as blaming the depressed person
• what are the two treatments for depression?

  Beck's CBT and Ellis's ABCDE
• What is Beck's CBT treatment?

  identify's thoughts about the world, future, and themselves, and then challenges them and helps them test the reality of these thoughts
• what is Ellis's ABCDE treatment?

  Dispute and Effect

  identify and dispute irrational thoughts, to break the link between negative life events and depression
• evaluation for CBT

  -can be an individual or a groups

  -tackles cause not symptoms

  -lack of effectiveness for severe cases and clients with learning disabilities as it involves complex rational thinking

  -ethical issues of changing someone's thoughts
• what are behavioural characteristics of phobias?

  panic, avoidance, and endurance